Kapiri gets new glass factory

THE multi-million dollar Eagle Glass Factory in Kapiri Mposhi is almost at 100 percent completion and is at the testing stage with about 150 local people employed.

Once fully operational, the US$15 million dollar factory would employ a total of about 200 local people and would have a production capacity of about 50 tonnes of flat and laminated glass per year which would be offloaded on the Zambian market.

Managing director, Zhi Zhao said the 40 percent raw materials the factory was using was local while lime and coal were from Mpongwe and Mamba districts, and the soda from Botswana.

Speaking when Central Province Permanent secretary, Bernard Chomba toured the factory, Mr. Zhao disclosed that about 30 technicians from China would be coming to Zambia to train the local employees and would leave after about five years.

And Mr Chimba said the glass factory had made Kapiri Mposhi return to life by creating jobs for the local population.

Mr. Chimba urged Zambians to emulate foreign investors by setting up such investments and create the much-needed jobs in the country.

Speaking earlier, Kapiri Member of Parliament (MP), Stanley Kakubo said the factory had enabled the district to preserve its identity as a glass town especially after the Kapiri glass todaybecame defunct.

Mr. Kakubo said the project was a landmark for the district and the country at large because manufacturing was cardinal for the country’s economic growth as it promoted value addition.

“Manufacturing is the way to go for our country, you have seen that there are major strides from the current government push towards roads and schools and so on but these are capital intensive and also they are equipment- intensive and so they don’t absorb a lot of job seekers,” said Mr. Kakubo.